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Serial art forger sentenced to two years' probation

An artist from Lempäälä has admitted forging more than a hundred paintings, making some 10 million euros in the process.

Lempääläläinen taiteilija oli syytettynä Pirkanmaan käräjäoikeudessa törkeästä väärennyksestä
An artist from Lempäälä has admitted he forged hundreds of paintings. Image: Matti Vikman / Yle

A major art fraud case came to a conclusion today after an artist from Lempäälä confessed to counterfeiting over a hundred paintings.

The Pirkanmaa district court heard that the man forged works by Finnish and foreign artists including Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Helene Schjerfbeck and Fernand Léger.

The defendant was sentenced to just under two years of probation for aggravated forgery. According to the prosecution, the artist made over 10 million euros from the forged pieces, which were used as loan deposits.

Around 20 art experts, vendors and resellers are suspected of participating in the scheme. They have all denied the charges.

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